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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26727232">Midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackheathen/pseuds/Milligan'>Milligan (Blackheathen)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Labyrinth (1986)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Suggestive Themes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:07:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,729</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26727232</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackheathen/pseuds/Milligan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Flying 101.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Midnight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Inspired by an image of a beautiful black barn owl which someone suggested would be what Sarah might look like it Jareth took her out flying one night. Sarah is 17 and Jareth is being a bit naughty at the end.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Midnight.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They were standing under an old tree in the park, its trunk forming a shadow that hid them from the full moon. Sarah glanced sideways. As always, Jareth seemed to draw what little natural light there was to illuminate himself. Sarah didn’t know if he did this out of an inborn vanity, of which he had plenty, or perhaps he just did it to make it easier for her. She did not have his keen eyes, or his night vision. Yet.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready?” he asked her again. There was no trace of impatience in his voice. His face however, always looked amused, like a smirk constantly wanting to escape. It irritated her a lot of the time, although not enough to stop her frequent escapades down the trellis outside her window at night. It had started a few weeks after her return home. The white face of the owl staring at her through the window, the unmistakable and unconscious desire to follow him as he flew away in the dark.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>There was an old saying that once your eyes had been opened to the world behind the world you would never be able to unsee it. It had made Sarah a bit addled, she was sure. Classmates would snicker and teachers would sigh as she sat dreaming in the back row, the textbook lines becoming a blurry maze and the linoleum under the desk becoming a forest floor.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah had met with Jareth several times in the past year. He would tell her stories about Labyrinth and the Underground. Sarah would bring along objects and inventions to show him, most of which had not existed or even been imagined in all the eons he had been visiting the world. Lately Sarah had been regaling him about the pressures of her life as a senior student. Essays, exams and dull tomes ruled her days, and she was only seventeen! It just wasn’t fair! </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want to do?” he asked.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I want to be free!” she answered with all the dramatic flair of an overwhelmed and petulant teenager. “I want to be free like you, I want to....fly. Fly like you do”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And so here she was, having never imagined her would take her seriously.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ready”. She hoped her voice didn’t sound as quavering out loud as it had in her head. Jareth took a step away and looked her up and down.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well. But you’ll have to remove your clothes first” </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, what?” </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Your clothing”, he said, gesturing to her </span>
  <span>well worn</span>
  <span> jeans and tee shirt which was her usual attire. He often disparaged modern clothing for its uninspiring cut and colour. “You’ll get tangled up in them Sarah. Probably ruin them trying to get out”. Sarah looked at him closely, trying to work out if he was being genuine. Not that she had yet to master the skill of interpreting him completely. She had lost her fear of him somewhere along the way but not her awe. He raised an eyebrow.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh</span>
  <span> very well then” she muttered, kicking off her sandshoes and shrugging out of her jeans. When her shirt came </span>
  <span>off</span>
  <span> she was standing in just her bra and knickers, belatedly </span>
  <span>realising</span>
  <span> that this was the first time anyone had seen so much of her, ever. She fingered the thin straps of her bra.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope, not anything else” she said firmly. “I’ll be fine as is”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Very well then. You obviously haven’t seen what talons will do to flimsy undergarments. Don’t send me the bill” he said. He took a step forward and placed a hand on the top of her head. He’d taken his glove off she </span>
  <span>realised</span>
  <span> and his bare skin sent little prickles of energy over her scalp.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What will it feel like? she whispered, “will I like it?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Probably not this part” he said, but before she could respond, a completely new sensation assaulted her senses. It was, as he had predicted, not overly enjoyable. There came a great squeezing pressure from outside her skin. Not painful but crushing, stealing breath and voice. She was shrinking! Sarah tried to cry out in terror but could make no sound. There was darkness so black around her, no sense of up or down and then </span>
  <span>all of</span>
  <span> a </span>
  <span>sudden</span>
  <span> the world rushed back in with a </span>
  <span>high pitched</span>
  <span> screech and the touch of damp grass under her feet. She opened her eyes to see a giant pale thing reaching down from above. She cowered away but felt herself touched, </span>
  <span>lifted up</span>
  <span> off the ground. Her feet gripped something warm and soft and then she found herself eye to eye with Jareth.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She was perched on his arm. She was a bird! She’d done it!</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Jareth!” she shouted, but of course all she heard was a loud squawking sound. Jareth laughed and touched a finger to the tip of her beak.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hush for now, little bird. I can’t hear you yet”. He moved them a little away from the tree shadow. “Let me look at you for a moment”. With her new eyes, Sarah almost felt blinded when the moonlight struck his skin. She could see every fine detail, almost every pore with its tiny fleck of hair. His own eyes, uneven as always but so bright with silvery pigments accenting them. He was staring at her with an unusual expression on his face. With his free hand he ran gently along her arm (no, her </span>
  <em>
    <span>wing</span>
  </em>
  <span>!) and coaxed it to open.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So beautiful” he breathed. Sarah turned to look at her wing. The feathers were dark, very nearly black. Not like the usual pale cream </span>
  <span>colouring</span>
  <span> of the owl she knew. She wondered why. Maybe something had gone wrong. Maybe he’d turned her into a crow instead. But he seemed to understand her question. “Nothing is wrong. Magic such as this merely takes what elements it is given. I cannot always predict how it will be. But you are very beautiful, and perfect. I will call you Midnight, I think” he said softly.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He moved back to the tree and lifted her up into a low hanging branch. Sarah watched avidly as he closed his eyes, </span>
  <span>lifted up</span>
  <span> his arms and transformed himself into an owl. It was something she had not seen before. A few seconds of reality shifted around him, making her head seem to spin. His own clothes merely disappeared into tendrils of light and she saw him briefly and completely bare before he was hovering </span>
  <span>quietly</span>
  <span> and confidently before her. He landed on the branch.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I can hear you now Sarah”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hear me? What do you mean?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. His voiced thrummed in her head.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Oh. Like this?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sarah made her voice into a thought, then laughed as their words bounced between them silently. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes”</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She could hear his amusement. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Now</span>
  </em>
  <span>”, he said with some of his typical authority, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“follow me</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. In a light gust of wind that ruffled her feathers he was gone. He flew silently as only owls can, but his pale wings were easily visible as he moved away. Sarah felt a moment of panic.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Wait!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> she cried out, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not ready. I haven’t done this before!”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He was laughing as he circled the tree. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Come</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he called her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh God I’ll fall or crash or </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>..</span>
  <span>” The ground looked so very far away from her feet as they gripped the low branch. She had massive sharp talons, she noticed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No, you won’t. Trust me</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll fall</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I will catch you Sarah. Every time</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. His voice was soft in her head. She knew if she had her human eyes such a statement might have made her cry. She opened her wings, took a deep breath and dropped off the branch. She didn’t fall. Her wings caught the air in a secret magical design of nature invented long before any Goblin King every walked the lands. She was gliding along just a foot above the ground. She flexed her wing muscles, flapping. Instantly she was higher. </span>
  <span>Again</span>
  <span> and again she beat the air, climbing into the night. It was a most exciting and sublime experience of her entire life.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m flying!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she screamed, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>I really am flying</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. She could hear her owl voice like a rasping hiss. In her peripheral vision, (which was </span>
  <span>actually almost</span>
  <span> behind her as she could now turn her head right back over her shoulder) she saw a flash of white wings as Jareth caught up with her.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Where do you want to go?</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he called out. Sarah could hear how happy he sounded. Maybe it was not something you ever took for granted.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>No indeed</span>
  </em>
  <span>” he replied, tilting a wing and changing direction. They flew away from the park and towards the town.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>For the next hour they flew, wingtip to wingtip, over the roads, houses and people Sarah had known all her life. It was late, so few people were out and </span>
  <span>and</span>
  <span> about. Mostly tipsy pub patrons and local youths up to no good. To Sarahs owl eyes people looked like strange lumbering mountains, trudging over the world with heavy footsteps and loud voices. They had not the senses to see and hear what she could. She wondered how such creatures had come to dominate the earth.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They circled her house several times. Sarah </span>
  <span>looked into</span>
  <span> the </span>
  <span>windows</span>
  <span> but everyone was asleep, even Toby who was still apt to cause a ruckus every night. She saw her bedroom window with the desk lamp still on, shining like a beacon. She wondered what was special about her window that had gotten the attention of the </span>
  <span>fae</span>
  <span> creature flying next to her. He could have chosen from any of the thousands they now passed on silent wings.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She was getting tired. Her wing muscles ached.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Owls wings aren’t built for flying long distance</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Jareth said. He started steering them back towards the park. They flew over a flash of red in the dark and Sarah looked down to see a fox staring back at them intently. There was altogether too much intelligence in those </span>
  <span>eyes</span>
  <span> and it made her shiver.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>We aren’t the only ones out her</span>
  </em>
  <span>e” she said with sudden clarity. They were gliding over the pond, a handspan above the water. Sarah watched their reflections speed past, he with his white underwings gleaming and she with her ebony feathers that made her blend in with the night sky. The sight made her feel powerful. They would neither </span>
  <em>
    <span>hear</span>
  </em>
  <span> nor </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> this owl coming for them. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You are correct</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Jareth replied, interrupting her plans for world domination, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>the veil is thin here and the portal close by”.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The portal?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes, you can probably see it now</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. She looked where he was looking and almost forgot to keep moving her wings in surprise. It was like a rent in the world. A large uneven gash of reality, ragged edges lined by silver light. It was right on the edge of the lake where she had wandered about for most of her life. She changed direction abruptly, heading for the opening. It was so </span>
  <span>tantalising</span>
  <span>, it was calling to her. She felt compelled to go through it, to fly on and on forever into other worlds</span>
  <span>....she</span>
  <span> was sure she heard her name being called.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No Sarah!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” His voice cut through and then his owl form buffeted into her, forcing her away.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh please, please let me</span>
  </em>
  <span>” she begged. He flew alongside, blocking her view of the tempting doorway.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No, Midnight. You will be lost. You could end up anywhere. On the other side there are many other doorways, to lands and realms that are not mine</span>
  </em>
  <span>”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Please</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>No. You are not ready. I can teach you, but you are not ready. Not yet</span>
  </em>
  <span>”. He sounded firm and she could hear his determination, but in another </span>
  <span>second</span>
  <span> he screeched loudly, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>look out</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” and she noticed the looming tree too late to even think about learning how to land.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She hit the branches hard, her human instincts making her reach out with arms that were really wings. She tumbled down in a mass of feathers, feet and bruised ego, squawking like a common barnyard chicken all the way. The ground rushed up and she closed her eyes for impact but instead found herself caught gently. She was on her back, wings splayed and flapping wildly, looking up at Jareth as he held her securely in his hands. He was grinning at her like a delighted child and Sarah was quite glad he couldn’t hear her </span>
  <span>colourful</span>
  <span> thoughts as she cursed her ungraceful landing display.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“That was quite the landing, Midnight” he said, still smiling as he ran gentle fingers over her, smoothing and tucking away errant black feathers. When she saw his hand again, he held one of those feathers which he ran along his chin, tickling his upper lip. His expression changed, growing thoughtful. “So tempting, Sarah. Or Midnight if you prefer. I could keep </span>
  <span>you,</span>
  <span> you know. In a golden cage in my tower. You could hunt rats for me, amongst other things”. Sarah felt chilled and knew that losing her fear of him had been a mistake. But then he laughed again and shook his head as if to rid himself of something. He stooped down and set her on the ground.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Coming back was not nearly as unpleasant. She felt gigantic for a moment, overbalanced and shut away from the natural world. Sarah rubbed and her ears and eyes as her dull human senses returned. Her arms ached dreadfully. The night wasn’t </span>
  <span>cold</span>
  <span> but she was covered all over in gooseflesh as she </span>
  <span>realised</span>
  <span> she was completely naked.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What the...” she cursed, trying to shield herself from his intent gaze, which looked </span>
  <span>all the more</span>
  <span> owl like than ever before, “where are my clothes?”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No idea I’m afraid” he answered, making an obvious show of looking around the tree. “This isn’t the tree we took off from I’m sure”. He of course was completely cloaked in one of his luxurious and sparkly outfits.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He tutted loudly. “Oh Sarah, I’ve seen you before you know”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“In the Ballroom. I chose that dress myself you know, and I couldn’t trust my goblins to get you properly turned out”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah was very glad he could not see her flaming cheeks, but he certainly could see her rising anger.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oh</span>
  <span> very well” he sighed before sketching a little design in the air between them. Sarah felt warmth surround her as a blue dress materialized around her. It wasn’t extravagant, but at least it covered everything, even without underwear which he seemed to have forgotten. Sarah decided not to press her luck. He closed in on her without warning and she looked up into his face. Had she grown somewhat, or did she just feel taller now? He trailed one hand down her neck and ran it lightly across the bodice of the dress, cupping her breast through the fabric. “There are other things I can teach you. There are other ways to fly” he said, his mouth close to her ear. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Sarah pulled away, feeling a sudden unease with her own body responding as if it was making decisions for itself. It must be just the residual thrill of flying that caused her heart to skip along so fast, she thought. Maybe. Jareth let her out of his embrace.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then, if you’re sure”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>She really wasn’t, but if in doubt: “No” she said, but what she saw in his expression gave her some of her confidence back. She straightened her back, tossed her sweat damp hair back from her shoulders.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yet”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You are so unfair” he replied.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Later when she returned to her bedroom the dawn was just starting to lighten the sky. Jareth had flown home through the portal that her human eyes could not see even though she knew where it was. It was closed to her, for now. Her bedroom felt tiny and stifling to her as she as she laid down to try and get some sleep before school in the morning. She was already dreaming of flying again. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>There was a little wrapped package on her desk when she woke up, inside of which were the remnants of her bra and undies. They were, as predicted, completely ruined.</span>
  
</p>
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